Learning to Breathe
by Eet
Summary: In this modern retelling of the fairy tale, a mermaid must survive on her own in the city with no voice, no prince, and this great new pair of feet that bleed when she walks. The upside is this beautiful poet named Anderson, but she's not interested.
1. Drowning

Drowning.

I was drowning.

Drowning was one of those experiences I never thought I would be forced to face.

The saltwater no longer flowed smoothly through my lungs and veins as it had a mere few moments ago. I supposed that the human anatomy was a bonus that came with the legs.

The legs. In the ocean, they were no where near as useful as my tail had been. My tail was strong, muscular, and covered in blue scales that matched my eyes, with two great fins at the end. It would move against the water with an ease that suggested it had a life of its own, propelling me to glide though the sea with the immense grace and speed my kind possessed.

My tail was also gone, replaced with the long, skinny, pale supports that went down from my hips. Those were the legs. Experimentally, I tried to move them as I would my tail. Keeping the two legs together, I gave a forceful kick.

Next to nothing. Certainly not enough to get me from the depths of the ocean to the surface.

I was desperate for that invisible substance that humans crave. Air, that's what it is. I couldn't hold on much longer. Arms and those strange legs began to thrash wildly, struggling to move the rest of my body upwards to reach the surface.

Upwards. Up up up. That was where the air would wait for me. Limbs thrashed faster, with more rhythm, fighting against the exhaustion that was settling. I was dizzy and seeing spots, it seemed impossible to me that so much movement was moving me so slowly. My insides felt as though they were about to burst open from a lack of sustenance.

The disc of sun above me was blurred at its edges, along with the rest of the sky. I could tell I was close, however, by the shining and dappled spots of sunlight in the water I had yet to reach.

I needed to breathe. My human body was no longer able to restrain this need, despite its inadequate surroundings. Only able to smother it for a moment longer, I used that final moment to perform a few final kicks, my arms still straining for the sun above.

When I finally breathed in, it was with sweet relief. Air.

I panted heavily, gasping for a way to take in more. The air seemed to fill my body and exhilarate it, down to the last nerve, soothing my exhaustion. There was no such thing as too much for me. Filled with new vigor, I continued moving my limbs slowly so that I might stay afloat.

I drank in the sight of the sky and the sun. I had never seen them during the day, only ever daring to come to the surface once before, and that was at night.

When I had first seen the stars and the moon, glowing brightly against the dark blanket of sky, I thought the sight was the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld. Now though, that view was nothing in comparison to the unbearably blue sky and its sun, so bright I could only look at it out of the corner of my eye.

The sun was also warm, which was welcoming against the cold water I was submerged in. I had never thought my home to be cold until now. Another human quality I supposed I owed to the Sea-Witch.

Inhaling deeply, I allowed myself to float along the waves, basking in the sun. Whenever I was lost in the past, I trusted the waves to take me where I needed to be. I only hoped they would still recognize me.

…..

I will never forget the moment I saw him. He, the human prince who changed my life.

It was the night I first saw the sky, that I first saw him, too. I was closer to the shore than my father and grandmother would have approved of, and close enough for my sisters to have been jealous, had any of them known of my audacity.

There was a stretch of sandy beach, and then there was him, upon it. I had swam to the surface for a simple glimpse of the sky, and it had to have been fate that he was there, as well.

The waves were calm that night, and amongst the dark of the ocean, I was practically invisible. At least, he didn't see me, as far as I could tell. But I saw him, and I believe the sight of him will never leave me.

The first thing I noted about him was his legs. With their support, he stood tall and straight, arms crossed in front of him, like my father did when he was frustrated. He was clothed entirely in black, except for the whiteness of his neck and hands, and the small glimmers of bits of metal that patterned his pale face. His hair was different from any other merperson's. The hair of merpeople is either very light blonde or midnight black, depending on whether the sun is shining at the time of their birth. Ours is also typically long and straight. This man was completely different, which was another thing that drew me to him. His hair was short, yet it stood up stick straight, almost pointy looking, and it was green. It must have been brightly colored, otherwise I couldn't have seen it in the dark. I struggled to see the color of his eyes, though I noticed they were ringed with black circles.

I'm not sure what it was that connected my soul with his, but surely something did. My heart fluttered like millions of butterflies toward this stranger, so different from anyone else I had ever known. It simply _had_ to be more than just that he was the first human I had ever seen.

The night was becoming brighter as clouds were pushed out of the way by a full moon, and I risked being seen. I ached to remain where I was and allow my love to get a glimpse of me as I had of him, but my body's basic instincts intervened. There was a small splash as I dived under, and then nothing but a series of ripples. It was as though I had never been there, watching and falling for him.

…..

The waves carried me while the sun set in a show of purple, red, and pink. I silently wondered if they were taking me anywhere in particular or just toying with me, but I didn't have the means to ask them. Night was falling, the sky darkening, and I was as good as nowhere, out in the midst of the sea. Not even the expected sliver of moon or the stars had emerged to keep me company.

Goose bumps dotted my bare skin as the air cooled, and I shivered. Wind breezed by, and the goose bumps multiplied.

_Take me somewhere quickly, please,_ I urged the waves in my mind. _I will never forgive you if you allow me to die before I've even stepped on land._ I imagined this treatment was some sort of punishment they were inflicting on me because I was attempting to forsake them.

They must have read my mind or felt my shivers and been sympathetic, or this had been our destination all along and I had simply doubted them. In the distance, I could barely make out a stretch of shore identical to the on my love had walked. It may have even been the exact one, but I couldn't tell. All beaches appear the same at night, I suppose.

Sighing in relief, I began to swim toward the land without even thinking. My eyes widened in surprise at the odd separateness of the new legs, and the weakness that resulted from it. They were thin and had little resistance against the water to push me forward. Exhaling in frustration, I doggedly continued in the direction of the shore.

As I neared it, I considered my next hurdle. How was I to stand? I knew I would have to rest all of my weight on those silly looking feet that were at the end of each leg, but how was I to get from floating on my stomach to that position?

Suddenly, I was rolled over onto my back as I collided with a part of the beach that was disguised by water. There was a taste of salt in my mouth as the waves washed over my limp form. For a few moments, I watched my chest rise and fall with each new deep breath. I was preparing, gathering my strength so that I might take my first steps.

I raised my upper body off of the ground with my arms, and I felt the wet sand sticking to my back. One of my arms moved my blonde hair off to the side, behind my shoulders, so that I wouldn't trip over it.

Carefully, I bent the legs, so that their knees were in the air. Now, the most difficult part had arrived. I gritted my teeth and quickly, before I could hesitate, threw my weight both forward and then up, so I was supported solely by the legs.

After standing, walking had to be easy, right?

Closing my eyes in concentration, I bent one of my legs slightly, moved it forward a pace, and set it down again, readjusting my weight on it.

All at once, the feet were filled with agonizing pain, as if I had stepped in broken glass instead of sand. I also noticed a faint stream of blood leak out from underneath the feet, staining the sand beneath them.

The sea-witch, it turned out, hadn't been bluffing after all.

…..

The sea-witch was not the first one I went to for help on how to be with my love. First, I received advice from a much more wholesome and less dangerous source.

With an eagerness I had never before felt about anything before, I had swum as fast as I could to the grotto of my eldest sister, Naida. I breezed by her familiar garden of beautiful red, five-petaled flowers with hardly a passing glance. I found Naida perched on an uncomfortable looking rock that sat in the center of her garden, her black hair hanging in a long braid that I thought was unnatural for a mermaid. We usually much preferred to wear our hair loose, floating idly about our heads. At least she should have used it to conceal a pale white scar that ran down her chest, acquired in a gruesome encounter with a shark. However, I considered it to be just another odd habit of my oldest sister.

Of myself and my other sisters, all older than me, but younger than her, Naida was the most responsible and intelligent, I was sure. Whereas we tended towards dreaminess, Naida somehow always knew the truth. An incident of when a few yellow tagged dolphins visited us stuck out in my mind. We were amazed at their stories of humans who had captured them in nets, poked and prodded them, stuck them with the yellow tags, and released them back into the ocean. Naida had reassured us that the dolphins were joking with us because we were young and foolish, and they enjoyed the attention. The dolphins were still adamant on their story, but thanks to my sister, we knew better.

"Naida!" I sang out, stopping suddenly in front of her.

"Kaira!" she replied, a wry smile on her face.

I looked around us, searching for any errant crabs or starfish who might be eavesdropping. After assuring myself that we were alone, I whispered in hushed tones, "I have a secret to tell you."

Naida appeared merely amused. "Alright. I promise I won't tell anyone. What is it?"

I gazed at her with solemnity. "I'm serious, Naida. You have to promise not to tell anyone. It's not a joke."

"I've already promised that. Don't fret. Of course, if you don't trust me, you shouldn't tell me." There was her trump card. She knew me better than anyone, and she knew I would not be able to stop myself from telling her, even if she was prepared to scream my secret throughout all of the Pacific Ocean. I was awful at keeping things to myself.

I took a deep breath, and a comforting flood of saltwater slid through my body. "I think I've fallen in love," I murmured, suddenly feeling shy and naïve in front of my experienced elder sister.

"Aw, Kaira, that's just wonderful," she said with a certain wistfulness I did not miss. "Who's the merman you have in mind?"

I lowered my head, choosing instead to look down at my slowly swaying tail instead of her honest eyes.

"It can't be that bad," she encouraged. "I swear I won't make fun of you, no matter who it is."

There was a pause as I considered. The time had come to tell her my feelings for the human, but I couldn't bring forth the words. I had been so excited to tell Naida, but now I was afraid of what she would think of me. Probably that I'm silly, stupid, and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. So I answered her with a question instead. "Have you ever been in love?"

It was her turn to look away, and her hands went to her braid, undoing it and beginning to re-braid it. "Yes," she finally said. "I was once. And now I'm not."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because he died." She finished tying off her braid with a thick green piece of seaweed.

"Died? What do you mean?" In all my life, I had never known anyone who had died. The merpeople would age, but rarely die. I only heard stories of death, of merpeople who came too close to sharks and did not escape in time, and other accidents.

She sighed heavily. "Kaira, you wouldn't understand. You're too young." My sister and I had traded places. Suddenly, she was the one with a secret she feared I wouldn't comprehend, and I was itching to discover what it was.

"You think I wouldn't understand?" I scoffed. Then my incredibly weak dam of holding back information broke. "I'm in love with a _human _for Poseidon's sake!"

Naida's tail froze from its idle moving, and she stared at me intently. "A _human_?" Then her demeanor changed from serious to humored in an instant. "Don't be silly. You've never even seen a human, let alone spoke to one and fallen in love with him."

"I have too seen one! I haven't talked to him, but I did fall in love! I swear I did! It's not a joke, Naida!" I shouted at her, completely outraged.

She was quiet for a few moments, and her tail had resumed swaying. "When I was a little younger than you, I went to the surface and saw a human, too. Just like you, I was certain it was love." I thought I detected a forced lightness in her voice.

"What did you do? What should I do?" I pressed her.

A bitter laugh came from Naida's mouth, the last thing I ever expected to hear from it. Its tones rang with suppressed sadness towards a world that had somehow deprived her of something important. In this moment, she was no longer my intelligent, experienced, older sister. She was simply an innocent mermaid wracked by an innocent love she could never be with. In this moment, Naida was just like me.

"I was so foolish," she muttered. "But no one had told me any different. He was a beautiful thing, with golden hair that fell into his eyes just so." My sister's eyes had a far-away look, and I knew she was illustrating him in her mind. "I wanted him like I'd never wanted anything else before. So I talked to him. I stayed at least waist-deep in the ocean, of course, so he wouldn't see my tail, but I still think he at least liked me. And then I didn't want to leave him. I didn't know any better. I didn't know that humans drowned—that being underwater would kill him. And he died." Her voice, and the emotions behind it, had fallen flat.

"Naida." I spoke her name softly, as comfortingly as I could. I had no idea what to say to my sister.

My voice had brought her back to the present. "I'm sorry I told you that," she said. "The only useful piece of advice I've given you is to not bring the human down here, though you already knew that. After my little disaster, Grandmother made sure to teach the rest of you that fact, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did."

Naida had transformed again into my sister, and she was back to the issue at hand. "As your sister, all I want for you is to be happy. You won't be happy if you keen over a human man for the rest of your long life. Forget about him: that's all I can tell you."

"But I can't," I insisted. "He's my soul mate. I just know it!"

She shrugged helplessly. "Then life was cruel to give the both of us soul mates we could never be with."

…..

Needless to say, I didn't heed my sister's advice. I thought she was wrong, biased by her own traumatizing experience with a human male, though I didn't tell her so.

Instead, I went in search of another, less wholesome, source of help.


	2. Witch

The sea-witch's lair was in a green fog, water that had become dirty from being stagnant for too long. Just swimming through it made me feel unclean, and I could only imagine how it was to actually live there. There were no signs of life, not even a sparse patch of seaweed. The small part of the ocean the sea-witch had been banished to appeared to be all green water and rocks. I wondered silently what she did for food.

Not far ahead of me, I saw and heard the sea-witch before she became aware of my presence. She was reclining on a pile of stones that had been arranged in the shape of a throne, and despite how uncomfortable it must have been, especially on her thin frame, her eyes were closed in contentment. Her skin looked green, though I wasn't sure if it was only because I was seeing her through the muck, or if it had become permanently colored that way. A voice that sounded like a swordfish's nose dragged against coral came from her throat, singing in some language I didn't understand.

"You can come closer, you know. I don't bite," she said, abruptly stopping in the middle of her song. She opened her eyes and smiled at me, revealing two rows of sharp teeth. "Ah, what a surprise. A _princess_ is here to see me. How lovely to meet you, although I have seen you before."

"Seen me before?" I choked out, strangled by fear and disgust.

"Of course," she cooed. "I have always taken care to keep watch over such delicate specimens as the Sea-King's daughters. Make sure you do not come to harm, and all that nonsense."

"And what have you done to protect us?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Reasons such as this. You have come to me for help, and I will undoubtedly be willing to give it. Things like that."

"Have you helped any of my sisters before?"

She pursed her lips, and I noticed how dry and cracked they were. It was a sharp contrast to the coat of slime that seemed to cover the rest of her. "No, you are the first. How did you know to find me here, if I may ask?" The sickly sweet smile was back on her face, and I knew not to trust her. But this was what it had come to. She was the only one who _could_ help me.

"My sisters and I have all been warned not to come here. We are told that you would lure us in with promises to grant our every wish, and then that once you had us, you would eat us and regain your youth." I shrugged. "There must be some truth in it, and I thought I could at least try." I folded my arms defiantly. "However, I will not let you eat me."

The Sea-Witch licked her lips, but it did not to anything to moisten them. "That is such a _shame_," she pouted. "You are young, and your flesh would have been so _succulent_ and _delicious_. And meat of royalty always seems to wear much longer."

Taken aback, I swam backwards, away from her. I filled to the brim with terror. "I—I hadn't truly thought that you would've eaten me," I stammered out.

"Do not be frightened, little one," she purred. Her hand slithered towards me with frightening speed and fingers as sticky as seaweed gripped my arm like a vice. I tried in vain to bury my tail into the sand, but she pulled me toward her anyway. She was strong, and it was even more alarming considering how weak and brittle she appeared. I could feel her slick skin against my own as she whispered in my ear, "I will grant your wish, though it will not come without a certain price. But do not be afraid," and here she stroked my hair with gentleness, "I won't even eat you. Now, my darling, what is it you desire?"

"Please, let me go," I pleaded. "I'll let you help me, I promise." I couldn't stand being in her twisted embrace any longer. It was revolting beyond words.

She let me go without a word, and I immediately felt freer, though she still looked at me expectantly.

I took a deep breath, but it did not help much. The murky water entered my lungs and veins; it was not in the least refreshing. "I want to be human," I announced, after I had mustered up my bravery.

The Sea-Witch stared at me for a few silent moments, then clapped her knotted hands together in pleasure. "How perfect!" she declared. "You have fallen in love with a human, haven't you?"

I blushed hotly, and I turned my head away from her in shame. "That is not important," I murmured. "What is your price?"

Her hands twisted in her hair as she considered, mulling it over aloud. "Transforming you into a human is no easy task, you know. It takes a complicated potion. I _do_ have all the necessary ingredients, but making it is such a burden. So many things could go wrong…there is the blood….and the organs….and the being accustomed to air!" She looked at me with an amused gaze. "I'm sure you thought it all about the legs! My dear, the legs will be the easiest part! Naturally though, the new body I create for you will not be without flaws."

"What sort of flaws?" I questioned earnestly.

"Well, with the legs, you will be able to walk on your feet. Those are the appendages at the end of each leg," she explained, as if I was foolish enough not to know. "And that is where the trouble comes in. When you walk, your feet will hurt immensely and bleed quite a bit."

"Is this how it is for all humans?"

"No." There was that smile again. "Just for a mermaid turned human."

"I can handle it," I said decisively, though admittedly, I did not consider it too much.

"And then there is the little matter of your fee."

I wondered what she would ask of me. Perhaps my arms: they were long and elegant, and would make for a meal for her. Automatically, I crossed them in self-defense. "What will you take from me?"

"Your ability to speak. It is a very pretty voice, and I should like to possess it for myself." Her request reminded me of the quality of her own voice; it was screechy and painful to listen to. No wonder she wanted mine.

"You can have it," I said. Surely my voice was such a little trade compared to the body of a human she would create for me? Again, it took little consideration on my part.

"Delightful! I had no idea negotiations with you would be this easy." Satisfaction was certainly the most prominent emotion in her eyes, along with an odd quality of hunger. She was still looking at me as though she was a shark, and I was a rather slow guppy. "If you will be patient enough to wait, I will whip up this potion in a matter of time, and then the trade will be sealed."

A feeling of unease crept over me. "Can I leave and come back when it is finished?" I tried. "I wish to say good-bye to my father and sisters and grandmother."

The Sea-Witch scowled, which was somehow less scary than her smile. "Of course not, my pet. We can't have them trying to stop you or changing your mind, can we? No, no. You are much better of staying here with me."

"But I'll never see them again!" I cried out, the weight of what I had promised to washing over me.

Her eyes narrowed into slits, gleaming red. "Do you not want to become human? You realize you must give them up, sooner or later, yes?"

I bowed my head. "Yes, but I still want to see them for the last time."

"It is not possible."

"Why _not_?" I shouted.

"Because I forbid it!" she shrieked, and I echoed amongst the rocks that surrounded us. There was a pause as we listened to it, and she seemed to calm suddenly. "We do not want them to manipulate you into changing your mind," she said gently. "And then you would never have a chance of meeting your human boy, would you?"

I sighed in defeat. It was not that I believed her to be right, but because I knew that I had already sealed my fate into her hands. Disobedience was not an option. "I will stay."

"That's a good mermaid," she said. "But still, I do not want you to be tempted to naughtiness while I am busy in your service making the potion."

The seaweed grew on its own accord from between cracks in the throne that she had lain in. It wrapped around my arms and tail, binding me to it. I wanted to scream, but before I could, the plant had claimed my mouth as well.

Looking back, going to the Sea-Witch for help had been a terrible idea. However, she set to work on the magic, just as she had promised. At least she had honor in that regard.

I soon realized that struggling against the weeds was useless, for it only caused them to hold me tighter. Lying there limply, all I could do was watch her as she made the potion. At the moment, she was rummaging through a pile of ingredients that had been previously covered by an algae-green rock.

"Eel marrow…fish spine…dolphin tail…jellyfish leg…whale eye…You know you're very lucky I have these ingredients already," she said to me. "They are difficult to come by, and the last time I made this potion the mermaid in question was extremely thorough in acquiring them." She smirked at me then. "You should be happy she never got around to using them."

I grimaced as I considered the possibilities. Likely, the mermaid had changed her mind and the Sea-Witch ate her. The thought caused me to shiver.

The Sea-Witch tilted her head up and squinted at the miles of water above us, and nodded. "The potion must be brewed by night, by darkness," she explained, obviously thinking I would benefit somehow by her narration. I may have been better off without it, but I _was_ curious. "We must hurry. The sun will rise soon," she commented, and I wondered how she could tell. All I could see above us was the disgusting water she lived in. If the seaweed did not hinder my speech, I would have asked.

It occurred to me then: _I would never speak again_. How would I ask questions? Tell humans my name, anything else about me?

My mind was boggled, but I knew this was what I had to do. Closing my eyes, I pictured the strange man that I was going through this for, and I was reassured. When I found him, all would be well.

Time passed, and all was silent except for the scraping of stones the Sea-Witch used to mix the vile ingredients. Occasionally, she would sing a few lines of unintelligible song, and then abruptly stop. Undoubtedly she was thinking of my voice in the process. I may have even been able to fall asleep, if it was not for the feelings of anticipation and fear gripping me all at once. Her throne was uncomfortable at best, but I was tired. Still, I could not rest.

"It's finished," the Sea-Witch breathed with triumph. A small amount of red-black liquid sat in the bottom of a green-tinged bottle. "Except for the last bit, of course."

I was unable to shrink away as she took the knife she had been using—silver and incredibly sharp—and approached me with it. "This pain will be minimal," she assured me, before sliding it easily across my wrist. It stung, but little more. The slice was just shallow enough to draw blood, and I sighed in relief.

Drops of my silvery blood sat on the edge of the knife, and their brilliance made the knife appear to be a dull gray. She held the knife vertically above the bottle, and they slowly rolled into the potion. "Three drops—one—two—three," she counted. She licked the rest of my blood off of the knife, making me shudder. However, I did notice that the potion had now turned a deep midnight blue. At least now it somehow appeared to be less wicked.

"There is the matter of your voice," she said.

The seaweeds untangled themselves from around my mouth, though I noted that I was still tied tightly everywhere else.

"Do you obtain it by a spell of some sort? Or is that another potion?" I gasped in question. It felt nice to move my lips again.

"No." The knife was still in her hands, and she twirled it between her fingers.

"What will you do?" I asked hesitantly, my voice rising in fear.

"There are magical properties in the tongue of a mermaid, that also include the vocal capabilities," she informed me, an evil glint in her eye.

Had I had the full use of arms, I would have clapped my hands across my mouth. As it was, all I could do let out a small scream and resume struggling futilely against my bonds. "Isn't there another way?"

"No. My price is your voice; therefore I must cut your tongue out. It is a trade. Consider all that you will. Pain is only temporary…consider the eternity of true love." Her tone was serious, but she was taunting me. "Will you truly be a coward?"

"I'm not a coward!" I shouted.

My anger didn't faze her. "Then open your mouth," she said patiently.

I took a deep breath, but could not make myself do it.

"Open your mouth, if you are so brave," she said again. "It won't be but a few moments."

I closed my eyes and braced myself for it. I had to force my jaw muscles to move apart. My mouth was open; then the pain came. She was right: it was quick. Quick and merciless, and it showed her skill with the blade. All I could feel was the sharpness where my tongue used to be. My eyes opened in shock, and I saw her with my tongue in her hand, a grin of pure joy on her face.

"What a prize," she murmured tenderly to it. I could hardly believe what she did next, in swallowing my tongue whole.

I cringed, and suddenly this whole thing was much more terrifying than just the pain filling my mouth. My mouth opened again, this time in a scream, but nothing came out. My own silvery blood was pooling in my throat, and I was forced to spit it out.

"Are you ready for the potion, dearie?" she asked, leering over me. I recognized the new voice coming from her throat, for it was mine.

I realized that the ropes of seaweed had finally seen fit to release me, and I swam upwards to face the Sea-Witch. Her red eyes glittered maliciously. Before she could have the chance to betray our agreement and decide to eat me along with my tongue, I ripped the bottle out of her hand and drank it in a few gulps. It tasted of sand something mildly foul.

Nothing happened, and I glared at the Sea-Witch, ready to kill her with my own hands.

"Not so fast," she warned me. A single finger wiped the corner of my lips, and I resisted the urge to bite at it. She held it in front of me; there was blood on it, and it was _red_.

The potion was working.

There was a transformation inside of me, and I felt as though it was tearing me in half. It was absolutely unbearable compared to that of my tongue, whose pain seemed to now be nonexistent. I writhed in agony. My organs must have been changing, twisting to fit those of a human. That was what the Sea-Witch had said, wasn't it? Suddenly, I was suffocating, I couldn't breathe.

"The finale is up next. The legs," I heard her say, though it seemed as if it was from a distance. "Though I would have much preferred to take you to the surface, but you are much too defiant. Your new human body can no longer inhale the water." I knew she wanted me to die. That way she would have upheld her end of the deal, and still be able to eat me.

The pain on my insides was gone, and everything felt better. I was already striving for the surface, but that was when the legs made their appearance. My tail was melting away, reshaping itself into a weak pair of legs.

I heard the echoes of the Sea-Witch's laughter behind me.

The speed of my swimming slowed, and I was left to drown.

Luckily, I did not.

I survived, and was barely able to make it to shore. That is the prelude to the story of my life on land.


	3. Home

After my feet bled for the first time, I suppose I collapsed, likely from the shock of it rather than the pain. I had experienced much more painful things that day, and I was determined to not let this minor one destroy me. However, simply the surprise of seeing so much of human blood on the ground beneath me was enough to make me faint. There's something much more haunting about human blood than mermaid blood; it may be the color of it, how red it is. The bright color is like some sort of a warning, bringing death with it.

When I woke up, I was covered in sand that was plastered to my still damp body, and waves were continuing to wash gently over me. The sun had risen again, and I vaguely realized that I felt it. In places not covered by my hair or sand, my white skin was steadily turning a reddish pink, and it stung slightly, though not quite as bad as a jellyfish sting. When I poked my sunburn, it hurt, and I frowned at it.

Suddenly, I heard voices. There were voices coming toward me. They were still faint, but there were at least two different ones. I sat up abruptly and looked around me, in search of some place to hide. I couldn't let any humans see me like this! Covered in sand, sweat, and salt, my feet stained red—and humans were supposed to wear clothes, weren't they?

The beach was flat and treeless, just a small stretch of featureless land. There was no place to hide. The voices were nearing. I lay back down and wrapped my long blonde hair around me, hoping that if I was still enough they wouldn't see me. I prayed that the waves that were still occasionally upon me would disguise my form from the group of people.

As they grew nearer, I burrowed myself deeper into the sand, although I was careful to make sure I was in a position where I could still watch them.

"What are we going to do about Lola?" asked a distinctly male voice. He had curly brown hair, and one of his arms was linked with the girl beside him.

"Lola will be fine," replied the woman. Her voice was light and airy, a sharp contrast to the gravelly tones of the man. The prettiness of it suited her, I noticed—she was thin and willowy, with pale blonde hair that fell in light waves. In the back of mind, I wondered what my own human voice would have sounded like. The woman continued speaking, "You know how she is. She's down right now, but it won't take much to bring her back to her usual self. This may take her a bit longer, of course, considering the situation, but there's no reason to be so worried."

He snorted. "Typical woman. Always so moody."

She swatted him on the arm, and I had to stifle my gasp. But then I realized that they were both smiling, which meant it must just have been in jest. For some reason, it made me feel relieved.

Tugging on the sleeve of her blouse, the man pulled her in for a long, gentle kiss. It was something I myself had never experienced, though I knew it was intimate. Watching them, I was suddenly embarrassed, and I bowed my head and averted my eyes.

"Wait a sec. Did you see something?" the woman asked.

I froze. Had she really seen me bow my head? I did not raise my head, hoping that she was looking in the other direction and had seen something else altogether. My human heart pounded as hard as it had when I was struggling for air.

"See what?" the man said in a muffled murmur. His breathing was heavy, and he seemed disappointed about something.

"Over there. I swear I saw something move."

"It was probably a seagull."

"Well it's just over there. It wouldn't kill us to investigate, would it?" She was impatient, I could tell.

I still didn't look up to see what was going on, and I didn't have to. They were coming toward me now and I had no means of stopping them. It wasn't even fear I felt anymore—neither of them seemed threatening in the least. Instead, I was filled with intense humiliation. Here I was, lying naked and injured on the beach, with no way to explain myself.

I did the only thing I could do: close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. Even so, I noticed the change of light behind my eyelids as their shadows crossed me.

"It's a girl!" the woman gasped. "Is she dead?" Her voice shook with panic and fear.

"Hello? Hello!" the man tried to wake me.

"Oh my God! Christian, there's blood! Call 911!"

I had scared them, it seemed, and that made me feel guilty. I hadn't meant for them to think I was dead, only asleep and unaware. Before they could call 911, whatever that was, I opened my eyes, meeting the gaze of the pretty woman.

She grabbed the man's arm, where he was fumbling with something square and shiny in his hands. "Stop. She's alive!" To me she said, "Are you okay? What happened?"

I touched my throat, trying to tell them that I could not speak.

"Your neck? Your neck looks all right, no gashes or bruises. Only sunburned like the rest of you. What's bleeding?" She was talking quickly, nervously, and she kept looking me up and down to see what she could do to help.

Again, I gestured at my throat, trying my best to communicate.

"Do you not speak English? What's—"

"I don't think she speaks at all," the man finally interrupted. He glanced at me, and then looked away quickly. My nakedness embarrassed him in a way that did not affect the woman. "Can you speak?" he asked.

I shook my head.

The man lowered his voice as he said to his companion, "We need to take her to a hospital or a shelter or something. Somewhere where her family will be able to find her. She's probably been reported missing."

She wasn't listening; all of her attention and concern was too busy with me. "Christian, will you go get a towel or a blanket from the car? She needs something to cover up with, I'm sure."

"And then we can take her to the hospital." It was not a question, but the statement was full of doubt. Still, he obediently walked away in search of something for me to wear.

The woman was looking at me with soft eyes. "I'm Hannah, and he's Christian," she told me. "We'll make sure you're taken care of, alright? Do you know if anyone could be looking for you?"

I thought of my father, grandmother, and sisters at home. But home was in the sea, and the sea didn't matter anymore. They would be looking for me if they were not already, but I was certain that Hannah's question did not include merpeople. I shook my head in response.

"Where are you from?" She paused for a moment, and then chuckled. "I guess I should only ask you yes or no questions, shouldn't I? Have you run away from somewhere?"

I nodded before it occurred to me to lie.

She lowered her voice to a whisper as she asked her next question. "Do you need somewhere to stay? Just for a little while, anyway."

Figuratively speaking, I was speechless. Here was a woman I had just met—and she was offering me a place to live? The notion seemed outlandish, particularly for a human. In the sea, they were spoken of as somewhat stingy and inhospitable, but with Hannah, this clearly wasn't the case. Again, I nodded before I could stop myself. I _did_ need somewhere to stay, and in my current state, I didn't have the willpower or strength to make it on my own just yet.

"Alright. Christian may be a little angry about it at first, but he'll relent. Especially after he remembers who pays the rent." She winked at me, but I did not quite understand the joke. Still, I managed a small smile for both our sakes.

Christian had just returned as Hannah finished speaking. He handed me a brightly colored expanse of fuzzy fabric, still making sure not to look too closely at me. As I tried to stand, my legs shuddered in weakness; what kept me from falling was Hannah's outstretched hand that I eagerly took. With my free arm, I awkwardly wrapped the towel around myself and clutched at it so that it would not fall away.

Hannah frowned. "Are you sure you can walk? Your legs seem weak from having lain there for so long. Christian can carry you, if you like."

Again, I tried my best to smile. The last thing I wanted was for her to worry about me. And as much as I wished to avoid walking, I knew it was something I needed to get used to, no matter what the toll was on me physically.

Hesitantly, she released my hand. I tentatively took a few steps, and received exactly what I anticipated: a large amount of pain in my feet. I gritted my teeth in concentration to remain upright, and tried my best to stop the pain from registering on my face.

Hannah and Christian started walking together, both watching me over their shoulders. Both expecting me to fall and need their help, most likely. I was slow and unsteady, but I was able to follow them. Glancing over my own shoulder, I smiled genuinely as I noted that my trail of blood was noticeably lessening, even though the pain was not. If I was lucky, the blood would slow to a standstill and not attract the attention of my new friends or any other of my now fellow humans.

…..

I had seen pictures of cars before, and in the photos, they were always sleek and shiny. Hannah's car was nothing like this. The outside was faded to a colorless hue, and even I could tell simply by looking at its boxy frame that it was awkward and ungainly.

Nevertheless, my ride in the backseat was one of my most exciting experiences yet. The car moved along of its own volition with only Hannah to guide it in whatever direction to go. I pressed my nose and forehead against the sun-warmed glass, my eyes wide as I stared out of the window. We passed too many trees to even begin to count, and I silently resolve to climb one of those monstrosities I had never before seen. As the drive lengthened, the groves of trees and plants and grass thinned out, while the number of other cars increased.

I shrunk back into my seat as I saw some sort of gigantic structures in the distance, shining in the sunlight against the sky. _What are they?_ I was dying to ask. As Hannah drove on, they grew larger and larger, until we were among them. I noticed they had windows and doors, and must be some sort of living place. Tall, impossibly huge living places, with too much space for any one family. People lined the streets, walking too fast for me to get a good look at any of them. Everything about this human world seemed to be in excess. Too much this, too much that. I missed the simplicity of the beach, and then realized it had been stupid of me to assume that all human places would be so tranquil. There were reasons merpeople and humans could hardly coexist together, and this was likely one of them.

My real question was, how would I ever find my true love amidst all of this?

I had had enough of this for now. I curled my legs up into my chest, wrapped my arms around them, and closed my eyes.

…..

My moments of rest were few. It wasn't long before the car slowly pulled to a stop, and I heard two car doors open and close. Then mine opened and Hannah was beside me, shaking my shoulder.

"Wake up, we're home," she whispered, trying her best not to startle me too much.

I yawned and stretched my arms as high as the roof of the car would allow, then hesitantly reached my legs out of the open door. Gingerly, I shifted my weight onto them, waiting for—ah, there it was. The pain that was slowly familiarizing itself with me.

Once again, I followed Christian and Hannah. Ahead of me, I listened to their muttered conversation.

"I thought you agreed we would take her somewhere," Christian said, muted frustration in his voice.

"She doesn't have anywhere to go. It won't kill us for her to stay with us for a bit, will it? Besides, we have enough space. She says she's a runaway, and if she is, well, she's a grown woman. If we find she's been reported missing, then we can let the authorities know she's with us of her own free will."

It did not take any more than Hannah's argument for him to relent. "Fine," he grunted. "But only because she's so miserable looking. He glanced back at me, and I quickly lowered my eyes to the ground as if I hadn't heard their conversation.

Although this building wasn't one of the tallest, it was still intimidating up close. Like the car, it just had an old look to it, aided by the faded color of the red brick. Christian used a key to unlock the door, while Hannah told me, "It doesn't look like much on the outside, but the inside is really nice, I promise. We have a lot of space for a pretty low rent."

Inside the building seemed smaller than it appeared on the outside. There was a narrow hallway, a set of stairs, and an odd looking door without a handle. On it hung a sheet of paper with words on it that I was unable to read. The walls were covered in peeling yellow wallpaper that looked even worse in the artificial light.

Again, Hannah apologized. "I know you're tired, but the elevator is out of order. We're on the seventh floor. If you don't think you can make it, my offer to have Christian carry you still stands."

I shook my head and waved my hand as if to say, _I don't need the help_. The stairs somewhat frightened me, it was true, but again, they were just something else I had to conquer.

Thankfully, the stairs did not make my feet hurt any worse than regular walking did, although they were hard for me to maneuver. I tripped once, and Hannah and Christian looked back at me with worry in their eyes. I smiled to reassure them and regained my balance.

After six flights of the difficult stairs, Christian stopped and opened the door on the landing for both Hannah and me. Inside was not where they lived, as I had anticipated. It was another hallway, identical to the one seven floors beneath us. Same rows of doors, same wallpaper.

"Our room is seven-oh-nine," Hannah told me, stopping at one of the doors. She pointed at the number above it, and I tried my best to memorize what it looked like. 709. Alright.

Like Hannah had promised, the place in which they lived was nothing like the rest of the building. Here there was no peeling wallpaper, but fresh white walls, and even a few windows to let real light in. Everything about it seemed fresh and clean, and I enjoyed the feeling of the soft blue carpet between my toes.

"We have three bedrooms and one bathroom, a kitchen and this living room. Everything is a bit small, but only three of us live here, so it's not too bad," Hannah said. She nodded in the direction of a door. "That's the bathroom. You can clean up in the shower and I'll get you some clothes, alright?" She cocked her head and scrutinized me anew. "Mine might be a bit too big, but I bet something of Lola's will fit you."

The cool white tile of the bathroom felt nearly as nice as the carpet. I closed the door and dropped the towel I had been holding so close. However, the giant looking-glass hanging on the back of the door made me jump back a few steps. We had looking-glasses under the sea, but only small, broken pieces that we all deemed to be very valuable. Nothing so extravagant as this.

When I saw I took the time to look at myself, I couldn't hold back a tiny giggle. Christian was right: I was miserable looking. Sunburned, sand in my hair, a few stains of blood on my ankles and feet—I was a mess. I stuck my tongue out at myself and laughed again, before moving on to inspecting the rest of this "bathroom."

There was a white bowl carved inside a solid, square table with silvery tubes above it. I played with a few of the tubes, a spray of water suddenly came out of one and into the bowl. If I could have, I would have likely shrieked. I quickly turned it back, and the water stopped and disappeared altogether through a little series of holes in the bottom of the bowl. I waited for my speed of my heart to slow down before I moved onto the next contraption.

It was another white bowl, but this one was covered with a lid and sat on top of a low podium. I lifted the lid an inch and peered inside. There was already water in this one, and after I stared at it for a few minutes, I managed to deduce what it was for.

There was only one thing left in the bathroom for me to investigate, and I knew it must be the "shower" that Hannah mentioned, because it was the only one big enough for me to clean off in. I climbed awkwardly over the high edge of it, and as I had with the bowl in the counter, started to play with the little handles that were built into the immaculately smooth, white wall. This time I braced myself for the water.

It came from the ceiling, catching me unexpectedly. I let out a small, soundless scream when I felt how _cold_ it was. There _had_ to be some way to make it more bearable, right? Otherwise Hannah would have warned me. I hurriedly twisted the handles around more until the water reached a warmer, more bearable temperature. There. I saw a small puddle of water form on the bathroom floor, so I closed the salmon colored curtain that was hanging outside of the entrance to the shower.

As I let the water run over me, I sighed luxuriously. It was actually rather relaxing, and by far the most comfortable I had felt all day. Then, remembering I was here to get clean, I rubbed furiously at my hair and limbs until I became so.

I admit I probably took longer in the shower than I needed, but I eventually forced myself to turn the water off and step back into the bathroom. My eyes darted around the room, and I wondered what I was supposed to do next. The towel I had been wearing before was gone, and a newer, more fluffy towel sat folded up its place. Beneath it were the clothes that Hannah had promised me. With the towel, I dried myself off, feeling somewhat guilty over the mess I had made from the water I had dripped everywhere. When I was done with myself, I at least made an attempt at drying the rest of the bathroom off.

Next were the clothes. How exactly did these go? I recognized two pieces of them as a shirt and a pair of pants, because they were similar to what Hannah and Christian had been wearing. But what were these smaller pieces of fabric? I knew that humans wore undergarments….but how were they supposed to go?

After what seemed like an eternity I was finally able to figure them out, thankfully. Even the thought of having to ask for help made my cheeks flush. The rest of my outfit was easy enough to assemble. The shirt was black and a little oversized, with something written on it, and the pants were purple and covered in a plaid pattern.

I sighed again, but this time more in frustration than relaxation. I just _had_ to become used to all of this eventually, didn't I?


End file.
